Scottish Executive

Cancer

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many specialist breast cancer nurses are employed, broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The number of nurses whose main specialism is breast cancer is shown in the table below.

  Breast Cancer Nurses by NHS Board

  Headcount as at 30 September 2003

  

Scotland
26


Argyll and Clyde
1


Ayrshire and Arran
4


Borders
0


Dumfries and Galloway
1


Fife
0


Forth Valley
2


Grampian
3


Greater Glasgow
7


Highland
0


Lanarkshire
3


Lothian
4


Orkney
0


Shetland
0


Tayside
1


Western Isles
1



  The figures are a headcount of nurses whose main clinical area of work is in breast cancer.Headcount denotes number of persons in post.

Cancer

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many specialist lung cancer nurses are employed, broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The number of nurses whose main specialism is lung cancer is shown in the following table:

  Lung Cancer Nurses by NHS Board

  Headcount as at 30 September 2003

  

Scotland
14


Argyll and Clyde
0


Ayrshire and Arran
2


Borders
0


Dumfries and Galloway
1


Fife
2


Forth Valley
1


Grampian
0


Greater Glasgow
4


Highland
0


Lanarkshire
1


Lothian
3


Orkney
0


Shetland
0


Tayside
0


Western Isles
0



  The figures are a headcount of nurses whose main clinical area of work is in lung cancer.Headcount denotes number of persons in post.

Civil Service

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil servants it expects will retire in each of the next five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: The answer to this question can be found in the following table:

  Scottish Executive Core Departments

  Number of Projected Retirees by Financial Year (Headcount)

  

Year
Total


2004-05*
46


2005-06
57


2006-07
109


2007-08
122


2008-09
117


2009-10
117



  * 1July – 31 March.These figures have been calculated using Scottish Executive staff employed as at 1 July 2004. They are based on the current Scottish Executive retirement age of 60. Staff can be retained beyond this age providing they meet certain criteria, including satisfactory performance, attendance and conduct and a requirement that the post occupied remains or that another one can be identified. The Scottish Executive retirement age policy is currently under review.

Civil Service

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average age is of civil servants.

Mr Andy Kerr: As at 1 July 2004 the average age of permanently employed staff in the Scottish Executive core departments was 41.

Civil Service

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8835 by Mr Andy Kerr on 23 June 2004, in which of its departments, agencies and associated departments the 121 full-time posts in Fife are located.

Mr Andy Kerr: The 121 full-time equivalent posts in Fife are located in the following agencies and associated departments:

  Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Historic Scotland Scottish Courts Service Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency.

Dentistry

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the British Dental Association about the use of fillings containing mercury and whether current dental practice has resulted in there now being fewer fillings containing mercury than previously.

Mr Tom McCabe: No meetings have taken place with the British Dental Association about the use of fillings containing amalgam. The number of amalgam fillings provided under NHS general dental services is reducing. Information is not collected on fillings provided under private arrangements.

Disclosure Scotland

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of teachers’ applications was processed by Disclosure Scotland within the 14-day target period from (a) 1 January to 31 March and (b) 1 April to 30 June 2004.

Hugh Henry: The management information provided by Disclosure Scotland does not provide an analysis of performance for particular professions or occupational groups.

Drug Misuse

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug-related deaths there were in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area, expressed also per 100,000 head of population.

Hugh Henry: The information requested is set out in the following table. The figures for 2003 will be available at the end of August 2004.

  

Health Board Area
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002


 
No
Rate per 100,000 pop
No
Rate per 100,000 pop
No
Rate per 100,000 pop
No
Rate per 100,000 pop
No
Rate per 100,000 pop


Scotland
249
4.9
291
5.7
292
5.8
332
6.6
382
7.6


Argyll & Clyde
23
5.4
30
7.1
31
7.4
22
5.2
31
7.4


Ayrshire & Arran
4
1.1
15
4.0
20
5.4
35
9.5
33
9.0


Borders
1
0.9
 
 
1
0.9
1
0.9
 
 


Dumfries & Galloway
4
2.7
7
4.7
7
4.7
8
5.4
9
6.1


Fife
13
3.8
9
2.6
12
3.4
11
3.1
12
3.4


Forth Valley
2
0.7
8
2.9
4
1.4
9
3.2
24
8.6


Grampian
26
4.9
38
7.2
31
5.9
46
8.7
47
9.0


Greater Glasgow
93
10.6
100
11.5
104
12.0
96
11.1
126
14.5


Highland
1
0.5
7
3.3
1
0.5
5
2.4
8
3.8


Lanarkshire
21
3.8
23
4.1
29
5.2
24
4.3
37
6.7


Lothian
37
4.8
39
5.1
37
4.8
54
6.9
39
5.0


Orkney
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Shetland
1
4.4
 
 
1
4.5
1
4.6
1
4.6


Tayside
23
5.8
14
3.6
14
3.6
19
4.9
14
3.6


Western Isles
 
 
1
3.7
 
 
1
3.8
1
3.8

Drug Misuse

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the waiting time and waiting list figures will be published for each service provider involved in drug treatment in each NHS board area.

Hugh Henry: Under the Waiting Times Framework, local service providers will submit waiting times information on a monthly basis to Drug Action Teams. This information will be used to identify local pressures and blockages, and as a basis for action to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of services. Aggregated information from the Drug Action Teams will be submitted to the Executive on a quarterly basis.

  Waiting times for individual services can also be affected by a wide range of factors, and can vary rapidly. It is not, therefore, our intention to publish information on waiting times for individual services.

Drug Misuse

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards have a general medical services enhanced service contract for drugs.

Malcolm Chisholm: Not all NHS boards have yet completed negotiations for their enhanced services. Boards which have indicated that they have in place enhanced services for drug users are Borders, Fife, Grampian, Lanarkshire and Lothian. Details of other boards providing an enhanced service for drug misuse will not be known until later in the year.

Drug Misuse

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given on the content of the enhanced general medical services contract for drugs.

Malcolm Chisholm: A model specification for the delivery of a national enhanced service for patients suffering from drug misuse was agreed on a UK-wide basis as part of the UK negotiations on the new General Medical Services (GMS) contract. The model specification is contained in the publication, New GMS Contract 2003, Supplementary Documents . NHS boards will use the specification to provide services for patients suffering from drug misuse.

Drug Misuse

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive why it requires waiting list and waiting time information for drug treatment services to be maintained on a monthly basis and whether it has estimated the administrative cost of this requirement.

Hugh Henry: Service providers and local Drug Action Teams must have accurate and up to date information on waiting times in their areas so that problems can be identified and addressed as quickly as possible. Local waiting times can be affected by a wide range of factors and circumstances, and can vary rapidly.

  Local service providers will provide waiting times information on a monthly basis to their Drug Action Teams, and the Executive will receive quarterly returns from the Drug Action Teams. The administrative and financial impacts of the new Waiting Times Framework were considered during its development, but the burdens were not thought to be significant, since the majority of the data items were already being recorded by agencies.

Environment

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with the Ministry of Defence regarding the impact of possible storage of submarines at (a) Aultbea, (b) Dounreay, (c) Nigg and (d) Ardoyne Point.

Ross Finnie: The Executive has engaged with the Ministry of Defence on the Interim Storage of Laid-Up Submarines consultation process. The outline proposals being considered by the MoD are Rosyth, HMS Vulcan at Dounreay and Coulport and not those mentioned in the question.

Environment

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on other sites, not referred to in Project ISOLUS – Consultation on Outline Proposals (CIOP): Final Report, that the Ministry of Defence is considering using for the storage of nuclear waste.

Ross Finnie: The Executive is not aware of any additional sites, other than those consulted on by Lancaster University last year.

Environment

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, if Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) has made any proposals to store waste from nuclear submarine reactors at any site in Scotland, it will make representations to HMG regarding the social and economic impact of such proposals.

Ross Finnie: The Ministry of Defence has not made any decisions on sites. The proposals received from industry are only outline at this stage. Although the criteria for the final selection of a site has not yet been developed the Executive would expect the socio-economic impacts to be taken fully into consideration.

  Following the publication of Lancaster University’s report on 6 May 2004 about the consultation on the outline proposals, the MoD is considering the report’s recommendations and is consulting with other government departments, including the Executive, on its response.

Equal Pay

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to ensure that it meets its obligations under the Equal Pay Directive.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has an equal pay policy which applies to all staff in its core departments. This commits the Executive to ensuring that all of its staff, regardless of gender, ethnicity or disability, receive equal pay for doing work of equal value. The Scottish Executive has also completed two equal pay audits as part of an ongoing commitment to monitor and review its pay system to ensure it is free from bias. Other measures include the provision of equal pay training for those responsible for the design of the pay system and an on-going review of the pay rules to ensure they comply with best equal pay practice.

Fisheries

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to monitor the displacement effect on inshore fishing in the south west of Scotland following the proposed extension of the Isle of Man’s exclusion zone to 12 miles.

Ross Finnie: The Isle of Man government’s proposals for revised fisheries management arrangements in the Isle of Man territorial sea will be presented to UK government and devolved administrations on July 29, for further discussion between fishery departments.

  Scottish Executive will consider appropriate monitoring only after the new management arrangements are confirmed.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug-dependent babies were born in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table shows the available information on babies discharged from Neonatal Units with a diagnosis involving drug misuse.

  Neonatal discharges (1,2) recording drug misuse (3)

  

Financial Year
Number of Discharges


1997-98
217


1998-99
245


1999-2000
325


2000-01
329


2001-02*
258


2002-03*
276



  Source : ISD Scotland Neonatal Discharge Summary (SMR11) and Scottish Birth Record (SMR11).

  Notes:

  1 A baby may be admitted to and discharged from neonatal care more than once. These figures relate to the total number discharges, not to the number of individual babies.

  2 Includes births where NHS board of residence is unknown or outside Scotland.

  3 Drug misuse is defined using the following International Classification of Disease (10th Rev.) codes:

  P04.4- Foetus and newborn affected by maternal use of drugs of addiction.

  P96.1- Neonatal withdrawal symptoms from maternal use of drugs of addiction.

  4.* - Incomplete data.

  Data for 01/02 and 02/03 are considered incomplete. This is due partly to the introduction of the Scottish Birth Record (SBR) which replaces the SMR11 (sick babies only). The SBR is currently being incrementally implemented across Scotland with a view to recording information on all births by Spring/Summer 2005.

Health

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to combat counterfeit medicines and to ensure patient safety.

Malcolm Chisholm: The regulation and safety of medicines is reserved and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

  The MHRA investigates all allegations of counterfeit medicines in the UK, the vast majority of which are not associated with the tightly regulated legitimate supply chain. Action in the form of legal proceedings is taken when appropriate.

  Counterfeit medicines is a global problem, therefore the MHRA is liaising closely with international regulatory partners and the pharmaceutical industry to ensure that the tackling of counterfeiting medicines remains a priority activity.

  The MHRA runs a medicines surveillance testing scheme which uses specific analytical methods to test thousands of "off the shelf" products annually for authentication. To date, none of the tests has identified a counterfeit product.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7172 by Malcolm Chisholm on 20 April 2004 and in light of the advice by the Committee on Safety of Medicines that it is general clinical experience that patients taking any antidepressant may develop an increase in suicidal behaviour in the first few weeks of treatment, what support will be given to patients during this period.

Malcolm Chisholm: Depression and anxiety disorders are serious conditions which are known to be associated with an increased risk of suicidal behaviour. Prescribers and other care providers involved with patients taking antidepressants will be aware of the recognised side effects of treatment. Guidance, available to prescribers, recommends that patients with depression should be asked about suicidal thoughts and those considered to be at risk should be closely monitored.

  The safety of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, including any link to an increased risk of suicide, is currently undergoing intensive review by an expert working group of the Committee on Safety of Medicines. The group is expected to finish its work later this year, at which time it will publish a final report.

  Clinicians are also aware of the benefits for patients of talking treatments which can help reduce or remove reliance on drug based regimes and put the patient more in control of their care. An example of this approach is the "Doing Well by People with Depression" programme, funded over three years by the Centre for Change and Innovation. This programme is looking at how we manage mild to moderate depression better in primary care. The programme is taking a whole systems approach but specifically it is looking at how we can use interventions such as counselling, self help, psychological interventions such as cognitive behaviour therapy and also the voluntary sector to help improve the patient’s treatment and experience as well as attempting to free up GP time and capacity.

Health

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will promote venison as a food that is low in fat, high in protein and a nutritious part of diet for children in order to promote healthy eating and tackle obesity.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive is encouraging children to choose a healthy, balanced diet of which lean meat, including venison, forms an important part. In tackling obesity the Scottish Executive is also supporting children and adults to take part in regular physical activity.

Housing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the national registration scheme for private landlords does not lead to an increase in homelessness.

Ms Margaret Curran: Only those private landlords who are not assessed as fit and proper persons will find that their registration applications are rejected or revoked and, in these circumstances the tenant will retain his or her protections against eviction under the letting contract and under statute. We do not believe that this will lead to a significant increase in homelessness and it should help to improve standards within the sector.

Housing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage private developers to meet affordable housing needs.

Ms Margaret Curran: In my recent news release issued on 7 July, I explained that we are looking at ways to expand the supply of affordable housing for sale and rent in Scotland through discussions with Homes for Scotland including ways of expand the supply of starter homes for sale on larger, planned sites in areas under pressure.

  As part of the modernisation of the planning system, we aim to ensure that development plans, which include allocations for housing, are up to date and that the approval system is streamlined and speeded up. We are also planning to issue supplementary guidance later this year on ways in which the planning system can facilitate the provision of affordable housing, including affordable housing linked to developments by private builders. And as part of the Affordable Housing Review, the Scottish Executive has published research into The Irish Planning System and Affordable Housing, which we shall study with interest.

Housing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) is now licensed.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive does not have robust information on the total number of houses in multiple occupation which are eligible to be licensed.

  The Executive is providing £1 million in this and each of the next two financial years to help local authorities improve their HMO licensing systems and ensure that all existing HMOs are licensed. As part of the process of setting objectives for the use of this funding, each authority was asked to estimate the number of licensable HMOs in their area. The total of these estimates was 18,312, at 30 June 2003. However, this should only be taken as a rough indication of numbers, as the robustness of the estimate for each local authority area depends on the level of identification activity carried out to date.

  The most recent figure for the number of HMO licences in force is 1922, at 31 March 2003. Statistics for the year 2003-04 are not yet available.

Justice

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of money collected in Scotland from drug seizures and the assets of drug dealers is given to the appropriate ministerial portfolios to assist in the fight against drugs.

Hugh Henry: Under current arrangements, 50% of recovered assets are retained for allocation to good causes. However, this arrangement is under review for 2004-05 onwards.

  Previous awards have gone to support additional addictions services for homeless people in Glasgow (£250,000) and to help establish a network of family support groups who work with families and carers of people with drug problems (£180,000). We are working on new arrangements which will target future awards on Scottish communities which bear the brunt of the problems which drugs can bring.

Justice

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many drivers were prosecuted in each of the last five years for driving under the influence of illegal drugs.

Cathy Jamieson: Figures for prosecutions involving drugs alone are not available. However, the total number of offences of driving while unfit through drink or drugs in the years 1998 to 2002, the latest five year period for which information is currently available, is given in the following table.

  Offence of Driving While Unfit Through Drink or Drugs Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts, 1998-2002

  

Year
Number


1998
508


1999
533


2000
572


2001
621


2002(1)
770



  Note: Recording delays mean that offences which were not proved may be under-stated in the total for offences proceeded against.

National Health Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the operating costs per patient have been at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in each year since 2002.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not currently available. Costing information for the Golden Jubilee National Hospital will be included for the first time in the 2003-04 Scottish Health Service Costs publication which is due to be published in November 2004.

National Health Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staffed beds there in each category of care in the NHS, broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information on average available staffed beds by category of care for Scotland and in each NHS board area for the year ending 31 March 2004 is shown in the following tables:

  NHSScotland - Average Available Staffed Beds1; by Specialty Group

  and Health Board Area: Year Ending 31 March 2004p

  

 
All specialities
Acute
surgical
Acute
medical
Dental
GP other than obstetrics
Obstetrics
Neo/post
natal cot


Scotland
 30 089
 5 914
 6 294
 60
 1 260
 1 008
 346


Argyll & Clyde
 2 707
 411
 432
-
 107
 97
 28


Ayrshire & Arran
 2 068
 378
 424
 5
 93
 80
 25


Borders
 658
 90
 112
-
 120
 22
 8


Dumfries & Galloway2
 819
 153
 154
 2
 60
 31
 10


Fife
 1 750
 252
 334
 4
 51
 61
 17


Forth Valley
 1 366
 290
 177
 2
-
 59
 20


Grampian2
 3 130
 618
 619
 9
 362
 131
 38


Greater Glasgow
 6 185
 1 523
 1 467
 19
-
 196
 80


Highland
 1 278
 292
 336
 2
 120
 63
 12


Lanarkshire
 3 016
 537
 587
 7
 91
 79
 21


Lothian
 4 235
 818
 1 013
 5
 25
 80
 58


Orkney
 94
 21
-
-
 42
 8
-


Shetland
 100
 26
 28
-
-
 6
-


Tayside
 2 455
 462
 541
 6
 166
 80
 29


Western Isles
 227
 46
 71
-
 21
 14
-



  NHSScotland - Average Available Staffed Beds1; by Specialty Group

  and Health Board Area: Year Ending 31 March 2004p

  

 
Geriatric Medicine
 
 
 
 


 
units other than long stay
long stay units
Psychiatric
Learning
disabilities
Radiology specialities
Unspecified


Scotland
 3 649
 3 444
 6 972
 852
 207
 84


Argyll & Clyde
 321
 393
 829
 78
-
 11


Ayrshire & Arran
 306
 251
 394
 109
 4
-


Borders
 59
 97
 143
 7
-
-


Dumfries & Galloway2
 51
 141
 168
 43
-
 6


Fife
 174
 289
 490
 61
-
 17


Forth Valley
 232
 208
 342
 35
-
-


Grampian2
 230
 324
 604
 167
 18
 10


Greater Glasgow
 891
 605
 1 259
 38
 94
 15


Highland
 110
 67
 222
 40
 12
 2


Lanarkshire
 400
 334
 791
 169
-
 1


Lothian
 555
 444
 1 104
 58
 54
 21


Orkney
-
 23
-
-
-
-


Shetland
 4
 36
-
-
-
-


Tayside
 296
 218
 585
 48
 25
-


Western Isles
 20
 14
 41
-
-
-



  Source: ISD Scotland [Form ISD(S)1].

  Notes:

  p Provisional.

  1. Includes joint-user and contractual hospitals.

  2. Some information is estimated.

National Health Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to NHS boards in respect of the sale of assets such as magnetic resonance imaging scanners.

Malcolm Chisholm: No guidance has issued to NHS boards in respect of the sale of assets such as magnetic resonance imaging scanners. NHS boards are given general revenue and capital allocations and it is for the boards to decide, based on their local knowledge of local needs, how these resources should be deployed. The provision/replacement of medical equipment is managed locally by NHS boards.

Non-Domestic Rates

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8682 by Mr Andy Kerr on 15 June 2004, what steps it is taking to ensure that evaluations by the Scottish Assessors of non-domestic properties valued with reference to cost, as opposed to those valued with reference to rent, produce a like-for-like valuation with comparable premises in England, given that the Valuation Office Agency bases cost valuations on the cost of building a comparable modern building while the Scottish Assessors base valuations on the cost of constructing exactly the same building as is being evaluated.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Assessors, who act independently of central and local government, base their valuations on the cost of constructing a comparable modern property that provides the same standards of quality, services and space as the property to be valued. In the case of properties already of "modern construction", valuations can therefore be based on the generally recognised level of cost of constructing exactly the same property as being valued. In the case of commonly occurring properties from an earlier era, costs are based on the comparable modern property.

  In both cases, the same cost basis is used i.e. the cost of constructing a comparable modern property. This cost is estimated by reference to reliable average unit cost rates derived from the analysis of actual costs. The approach used is in harmony with Valuation Office Agency practice and there is an established exchange of relevant cost information and analyses between the Scottish Assessors Association and the Valuation Office Agency to provide consistent cost bases.

Planning

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions it has met with (a) the CBI and other private sector organisations, (b) community groups and (c) other organisations to discuss rights of appeal in planning and related issues in the last year.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: In 2003 the Scottish Executive appointed a stakeholder group to assist in identifying the issues for our consultation paper Rights of Appeal in Planning . The group is made up of people from local authorities, industry and trade union bodies, community and environmental groups, and other planning experts. The group has held two meetings with Executive officials.

  In the past year, Scottish Ministers and officials have met many organisations and individuals in order to discuss a wide range of issues. The planning system in general and rights of appeal in particular will have been discussed at some of those meetings.

  As part of the current consultation on Rights of Appeal in Planning, the Executive is engaged in a programme of meetings with key stakeholders, such as business, environmental, local authority and community representatives.

Prescription Charges

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider undertaking a pilot study in one area into the effect of abolishing NHS prescription charges on take-up rates for patients with chronic conditions, on reduced admissions to hospital and on demand for GP services.

Malcolm Chisholm: No. The Executive believes that the way to assist people with poor health is to undertake the Partnership Agreement review of prescription charges for people with chronic health conditions and young people in full-time education or training. We have no plans to remove prescription charges in Scotland.

Prescription Charges

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider phasing out prescription charges by annual incremental changes rather than abolishing them outright, in line with practice by the National Assembly for Wales.

Malcolm Chisholm: No. In common with England and Northern Ireland we have no plans to remove NHS prescription charges.

Prescription Charges

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost is of administering the current NHS prescription charges system.

Malcolm Chisholm: In 2003-04 the cost of administering the NHS prescription charges system was £1.54 million. This includes the cost of processing applications for help under the NHS Low Income Scheme, production, distribution and supply to patients of prescription pre-payment certificates and the processing of refund claims for individual prescriptions and pre-payment certificates.

Prescription Charges

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the annual drugs bill of the NHS has been recovered through prescription charges in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Chisholm: The NHS prescription charge does not relate directly to the cost of the item prescribed or the cost of supplying it. It is a contribution towards the cost of the service as a whole.

  The table represents prescription charges collected in each of the last 5 years as a percentage of the FHS drugs bill for each year.

  

Year
Prescription Charge Income as percentage of Gross Ingredient Cost of Annual Drugs Bill


1999-2000
6.5


2000-01
6.2


2001-02
6.0


2002-03
5.4


2003-04
4.9

Prison Service

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7860 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 May 2004, whether staff from HM Prison Kilmarnock were involved in the transportation of prisoners to and from court prior to the implementation of the Reliance contract.

Hugh Henry: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Yes.

Public Sector

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what directives that are (a) binding and (b) advisory have been issued to (i) hospitals, (ii) NHS boards, (iii) schools, (iv) housing associations, (v) police forces and (vi) fire brigades in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact both directly and indirectly with the bodies listed. This contact takes a number of different forms, such as Health Department Letters, Police Grant Orders, letters to education authorities etc. As there is no central logging of such information it is not possible to provide the information requested.

Smoking

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to compensate businesses that might be adversely affected by any ban on smoking in public places which results from its current public consultation on the issue.

Mr Tom McCabe: The consultation and evidence gathering process currently underway will place a wealth of information at the Executive’s disposal, including the potential costs and benefits to businesses of different types of statutory controls. It is by no means clear that the impact on business would be negative. The Scottish Executive always examines the scope for mitigating any cost likely to be incurred by businesses in determining the way forward and as with any proposal an economic impact assessment will be conducted.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the national transport agency will be able to give direction and guidance to any UK organisations with responsibilities for Scotland relating to air and maritime matters.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the national transport agency will have with regard to ports and harbours; what powers it will have in this area, and what rights to direct UK bodies will be available to the agency.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of the national transport agency will be with regard to vehicle licensing and what rights it will have to give direction and guidance to the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

Nicol Stephen: As an executive agency within the Scottish Executive, the proposed national transport agency will exercise the transport powers and other responsibilities which Scottish Ministers choose to delegate to it. The establishment of the agency will not, in itself, result in more powers or responsibilities being devolved to Scottish Ministers.

  Consideration is being given to the detailed functions which will be exercised by the transport agency.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the relationship will be between the national transport agency and Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL); whether ownership of HIAL will be transferred and, if not, what rights to provide direction and guidance will be available to the new agency.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the relationship will be between the national transport agency and any new asset-owning company formed from Caledonian MacBrayne; whether ownership of the company will be transferred and, if not, what powers of direction and guidance will be given to the new agency.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of the national transport agency will be with regard to the promotion of direct flights from Scotland and the operation of the Interim Route Development Fund.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the remits and respective roles will be of the Transport Department at Scottish Enterprise and the new national transport agency.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the national transport agency will be in control of the funding and allocation of freight facilities grants and waterborne freight grants and, if not, who will be and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of the national transport agency will be with regard to bus service operators grants.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the national transport agency will be responsible for the franchise arrangements for the Northern Isles ferry routes and other routes to be tendered and, if not, what role the agency will have with regard to this issue and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Nicol Stephen: As an executive agency within the Scottish Executive, the proposed national transport agency will exercise the transport powers and other responsibilities, which Scottish Ministers choose to delegate to it.

  Consideration is being given to the devolved functions which will be exercised by the transport agency.

Transport

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the basis is for the statement in paragraph 2.1 of Scotland’s Transport Future that transport promotes economic growth.

Nicol Stephen: Growing the economy is our top priority and transport provides the connections that help to promote economic prosperity. Transport links get people to work, goods to market, students to education and enable people to access public services. Our connections, both internally and to the wider world, are an important factor in our competitiveness as a business location and play a crucial role in attracting tourists to Scotland and in spreading the benefits of tourism across the country. Through the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance, the contribution of transport improvements to the economy is fully assessed alongside impacts on the environment, safety, social inclusion and integration.

Transport

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive by what date it expects to stabilise road traffic volumes, as referred to in paragraph 2.11 of Scotland’s Transport Future.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive is striving to stabilise road traffic volumes at 2001 levels by 2021. This is reaffirmed in paragraph 1.21 of Scotland’s Transport Future . We seek to do this through modernising and improving public transport, investing in cycling and walking and encouraging people to change their travel behaviour.

Transport

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the increase in air transport is compatible with reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with the commitment in paragraph 4.18 of Scotland’s Transport Future.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive’s investment in direct air links, where these are the only viable transport option, is consistent with our objectives of improving Scotland’s connectivity and expanding our economic base.

  Direct links can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by avoiding the need for two or more air flights from hub airports throughout Scotland.

  We are also committed to making an equitable contribution to UK climate change commitments and are taking action across a range of sectors designed to deliver overall greenhouse gas emissions savings. Existing policies and measures in Scotland and the UK are expected to deliver the reductions required to meet the UK Kyoto target.

Transport

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil servants will be employed in the national transport agency in relation to (a) roads, (b) rail, (c) buses and (d) healthy transport.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not available. No decisions have been taken on the final organisational structure and staffing of the national transport agency.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8861 by Nicol Stephen on 24 June 2004, when the (a) current and (b) next franchise agreement will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Nicol Stephen: The current franchise agreement has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Reference Centre (Bib. number 33206).

  The next franchise agreement has still to be finalised and signed by the relevant parties. It will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Reference Centre after that date.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether the contractual obligations incumbent upon Ballast Construction Scotland and Hewcon Ltd, in terms of the trade works packages awarded to them, were completed satisfactorily and whether each company has been paid in full.

George Reid: : The primary contractual obligations in both trade packages were completed and Certificates of Practical Completion were issued. Hewcon attended to all proven defects notified to them during their defects liability period and have had all retention monies released. Ballast went into Administration during the defects liability period of their trade package contract, and were unable to complete outstanding works or make good defects. This has now been attended to by other contractors, and the costs will be off-set against Ballast’s retention monies.

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether, with regard to the Holyrood project, the sum due in respect of trade package 1510 of £2.2 million for tower cranes included payment to the operators of the cranes.

George Reid: Yes.

Scottish Parliament Insurance Cover

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what insurance cover has been put in place in the event of accident, injury or loss to staff, visitors and MSPs whilst working in or visiting the new parliament building.

Duncan McNeil (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): :The SPCB has Employer and Public Liability insurance which provides cover should either a member of staff, a member of the public or MSP make a claim of negligence against it in the event of death, injury or illness. MSPs and Parliamentary staff can also access certain benefits under their respective pension schemes.

  As a general rule commercial insurance would only be justified if the cost of claims, including administration costs, was calculated as likely to exceed the cost of insurance premiums. Loss or damage to personal property is not covered by insurance and accordingly, any claim would be dealt with directly by the SPCB.

Scottish Parliament Insurance Cover

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what insurance coverage has been put in place in the event of serious structural damage or fault to the new parliament building.

George Reid: : I can confirm that the position stated in my answer to Question S2W-3746 still stands and that, in line with the Scottish Executive and other bodies financed from the Scottish consolidated fund, the Parliament follows a policy of self-insurance and therefore does not insure its buildings against loss or damage.

Scottish Parliament Pensions

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S2W-1861 by Mr Duncan McNeil on 28 August 2003, whether any MSPs’ staff have been adversely affected by the decision to cease making pension payments by direct debit and, if so, whether any details of any such cases were reported to the SPCB.

Duncan McNeil (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): : In total to date there have been 10 members’ staff (9 with plans with one provider and 1 with a plan with another provider) affected by the decision to cease making pension contributions from the Parliament’s bank account by direct debit. The SPCB has been kept informed of this issue, including the efforts made to resolve it. The SPCB has not yet been informed of the most recent case but will be so informed when it meets again in September.

Scottish Parliament Pensions

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it is committed to ensuring that staff pension contributions are paid on time and at the correct amount and whether achieving this objective takes precedence over the SPCB’s position on making such payments by means of direct debit.

Duncan McNeil (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): : In terms of the collection and pay over of Members’ staff pension contributions, the SPCB acts as agents for members. The SPCB is fully committed to ensuring that the correct amount of pension contributions is collected and paid over on time. The sums are calculated and collected via payroll system and procedures are in place to ensure that accurate records are kept and monies are paid over on time and with an accompanying schedule of payment, in line with OPRA rules. Under current arrangements compliance with OPRA rules can be guaranteed which was not the case under the former arrangements whereby providers could collect monies using the direct debit facility.

Scottish Parliament Pensions

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether some pension providers require payments of pension contributions to be made by direct debit and will not accept payment by BACS and, if so, which pension providers these are.

Duncan McNeil (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): : Only the Halifax in respect of one plan has enforced such a requirement.

Scottish Parliament Pensions

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S2W-1861 by Mr Duncan McNeil on 28 August 2003, why "experience has shown" that the SPCB could not guarantee to make payments by the 19th of the month following the pay run in which the contributions are collected and what that experience has been; why the SPCB is unable to make an arrangement which complies with this time deadline using direct debit, and when the SPCB will provide a full explanation of this matter to MSPs.

Duncan McNeil (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): : Previously, contributions were paid by a combination of BACS, cheques and direct debits. In the case of the direct debit facility, it gave pension providers authority to collect contributions direct from an SPCB bank account. However, experience showed that:

  if an individual’s pension contribution increased by a small amount certain pension providers continued to collect the amount previously agreed and refused to accept any increases of less than £10.00 per month;

  pension providers were able to take money out of the bank account in situations where the Personnel Office had not been notified that a pension was in place;

  pension providers were collecting contributions in lump sums making it very difficult to identify for whom the contributions were being collected;

  pension providers continued to collect contributions for several months after an individual had ceased employment despite being advised that their employment had been terminated;

  once a pension contribution rate had been set some pension providers would not accept any revised amounts, for example, increases due to pay awards, changes to contracted hours or backdated payments.

  More importantly, however, new pension legislation changes came into effect from 6 April 2001 which required the SPCB to review its procedures. Under the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (OPRA) the new rules for employers’ state that they have an obligation to:

  calculate the employers’ and employees’ contributions for each individual member of staff;

  pay the correct amount of contributions over by the 19th of the month following the pay run in which the contributions are collected;

  maintain a record of payments made;

  provide each pension provider with a schedule as a record of payments made.

  Because of the problems being experienced the SPCB believed that it could not comply with the new OPRA rules whilst the then existing direct debit arrangements remained and deemed it necessary to review and change its procedures. The decision was taken to close down the direct debit facility and pay all contributions either by cheque, BACS or by standing order. This change gave the SPCB control over this matter to ensure that it met its obligations under the new OPRA rules. All pension providers were informed in writing of the decision.

  The SPCB does not believe it could comply, on behalf of members with all of the obligations placed on them as employers under OPRA rules were it to reinstate the direct debit facility and therefore has no intention of doing so. This full answer ensures that members have a full explanation of the matter.

Scottish Parliament Procurement

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what percentage of companies from which it procures goods provide independently verified reports on their social and environmental performance.

Duncan McNeil (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): : At present, the SPCB does not maintain records of the percentage of companies providing this type of information. However, tenderers’ submissions for SPCB contracts are assessed against relevant environmental and equalities criteria.

  For example, companies are asked to provide evidence of independently accredited environmental management systems, e.g. ISO 14000 certification. Also, for items containing a significant timber component (e.g. furniture), companies are asked to submit evidence that timber is obtained from responsibly managed forests.

  Even for low value/risk requirements, tenderers are asked to provide a copy of their environmental policy statement, together with any environmental initiatives the company has undertaken that would directly benefit the SPCB.

  To support the SPCB’s Equalities in Procurement Policy, tenderers are also commonly asked to provide details of their equal opportunities policy and detail what steps are taken to ensure the delivery of equality of opportunity and treatment as both an employer and service provider.

  In addition, the SPCB is currently developing a set of policies and procedures to underpin its responsible purchasing initiative, encompassing professionalism and ethics, environment and sustainability and equalities and social justice.

Smoking in Holyrood Building

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what plans it has to make the new Parliament building smoke-free.

Duncan McNeil (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): : Smoking will not be permitted at any time in any area within the Parliamentary campus except in Room MG.25 which is the designated smoking area for use by Members, their staff and parliamentary staff.